Wickless oil burner



A. J. BLACKFORD.

WICKLESS OIL BURNER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.31, x921.

Patented July 18, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET1.

A. J. BLACKFORD.

WICKLESS on BURNER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.31,1921.

Paiented July 18, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

0. o J 0 ca 0 o 0 0 0 o o o o 0 0 0 0 o o o o o o o o o A. J. BLACKFORD.

WICKLESS 01L BURNER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.31, 1921.

Patented July 18, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

ATWELL J. BLACKI'ORD, OI CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR- T AMERICAN STOVE k GOMBANY,. OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ACORIORATION QF NEW'J'ERSEY 1 wicxiuiss Mimi-1mm.

Specilicationfof Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A'rwELL J .BLACK- rom), a citizen of the United States residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuya oga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVickless Oil Burners, of which the following is a specific'ation, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawin a This invention relates to improvements in wickless oil burners and particularly of the blue flame type. t 4

The wickless type of burners comprises a trough into which the oil is fed and a lighting member-in the trough for heating it up.

In this type of burner the height of the flame'is controlled-bycontrolling the depth of the oil in the trough.

Heretofore the heightv of the oil in the trough for regulating the flame has been controlled in two ways-:'

1. By means of a needle valve in the oil supply for feeding the proper amount of .oil to the trough to regulate the amount of oil in the trough and thereby regulating the flame.

2. By providing a maintained oil levelfor the trough and raising and'lowering the or vice'versa, thereby controlling the amount of oil in the. trough and regulating the height of the flame.

In practice these two ways of controlling the oil to the trough and thereby regulating the flame, the regulation of the flame has been found not to promptly respond to the 1 regulation of the oil in the trough, because. the wall of the trough above the oil has be; come highly heatedand the slight increase of the oil therein striking the hot wall of the trough instantly produces excess vapor with a corresponding excess abnormal flame and.

it only finds its intended flame level as the increased oil cools the wall of thetrough. This has been found very confusing to the ordinary operator and has been a serious ob jection to the wickless stoves, and applies'to.

both of the above ways of controlling the amount of oil in the trough. -A reduction of the flow of oil'to the trough for decreas- 'ing the flame does not instantly respond bec se sufficient time must elapse to lower the the needle valve, control. is used, and to some of the trough is used.

Patented-July 18, 1922.

' Application filed August a1, 1921. Serial No. 497,208.

extent is true when the raising and lowering I The primary object of my invention is to provide means for regulating the flame of the wickless oil burner, whereby the flame is instantly and correspondingly increased or reduced by the regulating means, and the .control is effected in a'manner entirely different from the two previously referred to ways. v

In the blue flame type of-burner, to which my present improvement relates, there is a combustion section consisting essentially of concentric perforated tubes, between which the vapor passes from the trough and is supplied withair' through the perforations, whereby a blue smokeless flame issues at the top of thecombustion section, as well known and understood to those skilled in the art.

'In my improvement I regulate the.flame by raising and, lowering the combustion section in respect'to the upper end of the trough while maintaining it in all of its positions in operative relation to the trough. By these means the flame is instantly increased or decreased corresponding to the raising and Y lowering of the combustion section, whereby the operator can regulate the amount and height of the flame to a nicety and without any particular skill sincethere are no confusing and deceptive results such as occur in the two ways previously used for this purpose, as already explained.

In the accompanying drawings? Figure l is a sideelevation of a uwickless blue flame oil stove embodying my invention. w a

. Figure 2' is avertical central section through a wickless blue flame oil burn'er showing my improvement applied thereto.

' Figure 3 is a relatively enlarged view of a a wickless blue flame burner with my impro'vement applied thereto, the. same shown partially in side elevation and partially in central vertical. section.

Figure 4 is a: horizontal sectional view on theline l-4 of Figure 3.; Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 3 looking upward.

Figure 6 is a detached perspective view of oil level in the trough bybonsuining the-oil @the rod for lifting the combustion section therein after its flow thereto is cut off or reduced, and this is particularly, true where out of operative relation and exposing the lighting member to be lighted.

Referring now to the drawings in which 7 similar reference characters denote the same parts, 1 is the frame of the stove, 2 a maintained level oil supply which is so well understood by those skilled in the art that explanation thereof is unnecessary. .An oil supply pipe 3 extends, from this oil supply and is suitably supported in the frame 1. I have here shown two burners, A and B, which are in communication with the supply pipe 3, but the number ofburners is wholly immaterial to my improvement as will be readily understood.

Tn carrying'out my improvement any desired form of wickless burner trough 4 may be used. As here shown, this trough is of the narrow type and a suitable lighting member 5 is placed therein, the lower edge of the lighting member resting on the bottom of the trough and the upper edge thus extending a suitable ,distance above the top of the trough to be lighted.

This trough 4 is positioned in respect to the maintained oil level 2 so ,that the oil is normally in the trough a proper height to produce a maximum flame. Communication between the trough and the supply pipe 3 I may tie-accomplished in various ways wlthout affecting my invention, but as here shown it is bymeans of a suitable" hollow casting or head 7 which is suitably detachably clamped 'in communication with the en 1 i e A pipe 8 has its lower end in coi n iniiiiic tion with the hollow head 7 and its upper end 9 communicating with the bottom of the trough. 4:. This construction holds the trough 4 in fixed relation to the oil level 2, whereby the'oil does not rise in the trough above the maintained oil level 2. This hollow head 7 below the pipe 8 is provided with a valve seat 10 and an ordinary needle valve 11 cooperates with the valve seat 10 for controlling the flow of oil from the supply pipe 3 through the casting 7 to.

the pipe 8 and by means of which the oil How to the trough can be cut ofi' entirely or turned on. In the construction here shown the valve 11 has an elongated stem 12 which passes through an elongated tube 13, the lower end of the tube having an oil-tight connection with the screw threaded boss 14 of the hollow head .7 and preferably there is a stuffing box 15 at the outer end of the tube 13. The valve stem 12 passes through the tube 13 a suitable distance and has attached thereto a hand wheel 16 by which the valve stem' and its valve are operated for suitable dial 17 is attached to the tube 13 and an index hand or pointer 18 is attached to the hand wheel 16 and extends close to the tion indicated by the arrow in Figure 1, and

the dial also has the indication Start which means the position of the pointer for starting the burner, and also the indication Full which means the position for the pointer when the burner is full. From this it will be observed that when the pointer is at Start there will be a free flow of oil for opening and closing the valve seat 10. A

the purpose of having the oil reach the trough to its predetermined height quickly for lighting purposes and, then the pointer is preferably, though not necessarily, turned to -Full which means that the oil will flow to the burner sufficiently rapid to maintain it in'the trou h to the maintained level 2 of the supply. ne' obj ect of opening the valve beyond Full is to enable the oil to flow rapidly through the trough for starting-purposes and to enable the valve to be opened,

beyond Full even in operation, if -for any reason there should be an impediment of flow of oil to the trough caused bysediment or otherwise. The valve 10, however, is not 'used for regulating the flame as will hereinafter clearly appear.

Mounted above the trough 4. is a. combustion section C. This combustion section is of a well known type for producing a blue flame from the vapor generated at the trough 4. The combustion section here shown comprises an inner vertical perforated cylinder 19'and an outer perforated vertical cylinder 20 separated from the inner cylinder to form a vapor and flame space 21. The lower ends of these *cylinders are'contracted in the form here shown, as shown at 23 and 24, though this particular construction forms no part of my present invention and is not essential thereto. It only enables the use of a trough which is of a relatively smaller diameter than the greatest diameter of the combustion section. Straight combustion sections may be used fOrcarrying out my invention. It is usual in' these combustion sections to provide perforated diaphragms at the upper and lower ends of the combustion section and these diaphragms difl'er in specific construction and may differ in carryingout my improvement from that here shown without departing from my invention. As here shown there are. two dia-.

phragms 29 and 26 at the lower end of the inner cylinder 19 of the combustionsection and a perforated cap or top diaphragm 27. As stated, the particular construction and particular location here shown of these diaphragms' are not essential to "carrying out myflpresent improvement. y present improvement consists in having the combustion section C vertically movable in respect to the-trough 4. In carrying out my invention the upward movement of 'the combustion section in respect to the trough lowers the flame' and the downward, movement of the combustion section inq'e- .spect to the flame raises or increases the flame and this without any regard. to the amount of oil in the trough. j'The height of the oil may be the same as that indicated by the oil level 2 orit may be more or les than that point. Whatever may be the height of the oil in the trough the flame is raised and lowered in my improvement by raising and lowering the combustion section in respect to the trough. It wilhttherefore, be understood in carrying out my invention the normal height of the oil in the trough may be the same as the maintained level 2 which is preferably the case, or it may be less by the' manipulation of the valve 10, but whatever may be the desired normal height of the oil in the trough the flame is raised and loweredby raising and lowering the combustion section in respect to the trough. Therefore, in the preferred ,form of my invention the trough is in a fixed position while the com bustion section moves in respect to it, but

my improvement as broadly considered would be carried out by thereversal ofthis operation, that is to say,'the combustion section may be fixed and the'trough raised and lowered in respect to the combustion section.

The mechanical expression here shown for a having a relative vertical movement 'of the trough and combustion section while maindesiredmanner so far as my taining them at all times during the movement in operative relationconsists in. roviding a supplemental trough 4'. his troughNA is slightly larger than the oil trough 4 and embraces it as shown. Its up per inner and outer ends are provided with substantially l. shaped shoulders 28 and-25, upon which the lower ends of the inner and outer combustion section cylinders 19 and 20 rest. These shoulders may be formed in any improvement is concerned. v

The means here shown for raising and lowering this supplemental trough 4, and with it the combustion section, comprises a.-

rod 30 which pases through a vertical socket 31 which extends laterally from the upper end of the hollow 'head' 7. A shaft 32 is g journaled-in this lateral extension 31 and hasits inner end provided with gear teeth 33 that engage gear teeth or agear rack 34 on' the rod 30, while the outer end ofthe shaft 32 carries a suitable hand wheel 35 forturning it. By means of this hand wheel,'-its shaft gear and the rack 34 the supplemental troughx l' can be raised and lowered as will he readily understood. For the purpose of. assisting and steadyingthe vertical move. ment of the supplemental trough it is provided with a depending tube 36 which is here shown arranged at one side of the centerof the bottom of the trough and this tube surrounds the oil conduit tube 8 and moves upand down through a lateral arm 37 which extends from the socket 31. Heretofore the upper end 'of the. oil trough has been provided with lateral cylinders-s'uchas 28 and 29, upon which the lower end of the combustion section is supported, whereby they do not have any vertical movement-while maintaining operative relation with the trough. It is the common construction in this type of burner heretofore to lift the combustion section away from its seat, thus-breaking-this operative relation with the trough for the purpose of exposing thelighting member to be lighted, but this isnot the relative verticalmovement of the trough and the combustion section hereinbefore referred toand included in the appended claims. Wherever this term of vertical movement of the combustion sec- .tion in respect tothe trough or relative verv This supplemental trough .which maintains the combustion section in operative relation to the oil trough. 4' in all of its ad: justments as it moves up and down may amply be considered in one sense as a ver- 195 tical' extension and contraction of the wall of the trough, since it raises and lowers the seats of the combustion section'while maintaining them in operative relation to the trough, because these seats have heretofore been a part of the trough, and my improvement would be carried out in a broad sense in acon'struction which had .the walls of the trough avertically extensible for raising and lowering the combustion section. Where the construction of the supplemental trough for raising and lowering the combustion section to regulate the flame is used it is not practical to make a liquid type a joint between the two troughs. any condensation of the very rich vapor at the upper end'of the trough 4 would have a tendency to fall by gravity and find its way between these two troughs and drop therefrom, which would be objectionable. To 125 avoid this I provide thebottom of the supplemental trough 4: with a suitable number of perforations 38 which will provide, an upward circulation of air between the two troughs suflicient to mingle with and carry 130 l Therefore,

' upward any condensed vapor that may be at the upper outer sides of the oil trough 4:.

For the purpose of lifting the combustion section C out of operative relation with the trough a for the purpose of exposing the lighting member 6 to be lighted,- I provide the usual vertical movable rod 39 which passes through the lower diaphragms and has its upper end adapted to engage some part of the center of the combustion section C, which in this instance is a transverse rod 40 extending through the combustion section. The lower end of the rod 39 may be of any desired construction and as here shown it has a lateral bend 41 carrying 'a disc 42 which will rest upon the supply pipe 3 and its lower extremity is bent laterally andcarries a handle 43. By this construction the rod is normally held in the position shown in Figure 2, while it can be raised to lift the combustion section and when raised.

can be supported in this raised position if 43 will rest on the supply pipe .3.

By regulating the flame through the relative vertical movement of the combustion section and the trough, the raising and lowering of the flame instantly and correspondingly responds to the relative vertical move,- ment of the trough and the combustion section, and there is not the confusing failure to respond to the adjustment that exists in the adjustments of this type of burner as heretofore used.

It will also be understood from the foregoing description that my broad invention is not limited to the particular 'way of accomplishing the relative adjustment of the trough and the combustion section, while maintaining the operative relation of the parts of the burner.

Having thus described my invention what I desire to claim and secure by patent is:

1. A burner comprising a trough, a combustion section seated above the trough with its lower end around the upper end of the trough, and the combustion section verticall adjustable in relation to the trough wit out disturbing its ;operative position to the trough, for regulating the flame.

2. A burner comprising a trough, a combustion section seat at the upper portion of the trough, a combustion-section havingits lower end supported on said seat, and means for relatively vertically moving the trough and said combustion section seatwithout breaking the operative relation of the combustion section to the trough. J

3; A burner comprising a trough, a combustion section above the trough with its lower and around the upper end of the trough the combustion" section. vertically movab e in respect to the trough without breaking its operative relation with the upper end of the trough for regulating the es flame.

4.. .A burner, comprising an oil holding trough, an oil supply therefor having a maintained level, and a combustion section vertically movable in respect to the upper end of the trough without disturbing its operative relation to the trough for regulating the flame.

5. A burner comprising an oil trough, an oil supply therefor, asupplemental trough 7a embracing the oil trough, a combustion section carried by the supplemental trough, and means for moving the supplement-a1 trough vertically in respect to the oil trough for regulating the flame.

6. A burner comprising an oil trough, a supplemental trough embracing the oil' trough, a combustion section supported on the supplemental trough, the supplemental trough having a vertical movement in llfiflgfi s'pect to the oil trough for the purpose described, and an air passage between the troughs. Q

7. Aburner of the type described comprising an oil trough, a supplemental trough embracing the oil trough, a combustion section supported on the supplemental trough,

,maintained level oil supply for the oil trough, and means for moving vertically one trough in respect to the other for the purpose of regulating the flame. I

.9. A burner of the typedescribed comprising an oil trough, a supplemental trough embracing the oil trough, a combustion section we supported by the supplemental trough, an air'pass'age between the walls of the troughs, and means for vertically moving one trou h. in respect'to the other for regulating the flame.

10. A burner of the type described comprising an oil trough, a supplemental trough embracing the oil trough, an air passage between the troughs, the supplemental trough having an opening, in its bottom communi- 11a cating with its air passage, a combustion section supported by the supplemental trough,- and means for moving one trough in respect to. the other fol-regulating the flame.

11. A burner of the type described comprisingastationary oil trough, an oil supply therefor, a supplemental trough, a combustion section supported by the supplemental trough, and means for moving the supplemental trough and with it the combustion section vertically in respect. to the oil trough for regulating the flame.

12. A burner of the type described comprising an oil trough, an oil supply for the trough. including means for maintaining the oil in the trough at a predetermined level, a combustion section above the trough, means for moving the combustion section vertically in respect to the trough without disturbing its operative relation with the trough for regulating the flame, and means located between the trough and the maintained oil supply for cutting ofi' the oil to the trough.

13. A burner of the type described comprising an oil trough, a supplemental trough embracing the oil trough and vertically movable in respect thereto, a combustion section carried by and movable with the supplemental trough and an oil supply passing through the supplemental trough and communicating with the oil trough.

14. A burner of the type described com- 15. A burner of the type described comprising a stationary oil trough, a maintained .level oil supply communicating with the trough, a supplemental trough embracing the oil trough, a combustion section supported by the supplemental trough, and means for moving the supplemental trough and the combustion section vertically together for regulating the flame. a

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

ATWELL J. BLACKFORD. 

